This photo has been sitting on my desktop for quite a while now, since right after the last post when I was weaving it. I couldn't capture the iridescence in this scarf and the sequins don't sparkle as much as in real life. As I said in my last post this is my guild challenge - use gold to celebrate my guild's 50th anniversary. 

 I originally thought I'd weave a second scarf but then came to my senses and cut this one off to finish it. Since I'm no longer selling my handwovens what would I do with 2 scarves with sequins, even if I did use a different weft. I suppose I could have rethreaded to a different draft but still, I just don't need more scarf inventory, still have quite a bit from my selling years.  Instead I tied back on and am weaving using different variegated tencel wefts to create fabric to make notecard inserts. I will use notecards......I'll be using a dragonfly punch for the cardstock. 

It's snowing this morning - so nice to see some snow. It won't amount to a whole lot by the time it's over but it's covering the ground and is so pretty even though it's still dark out. 

Infinity scarves......

I just got the infinity scarves listed in my Etsy shop. I really love these circular scarves - they can be worn so many ways. I think I've only got 3 more to dye so will have to make sure I dye one in my colors to keep.....although there is one of these I might change my mind about selling.  

Twelve more scarves to photograph, more waiting to be dyed, and I've got some devore silk shawls to dye too...…..and some socks which are just for fun to give away.'

These infinity scarves can be found in my ETSY shop.

Another painted warp

Another painted warp on the loom....this one tencel....2 scarves worth.....first scarf woven

Almost forgot

 I almost forgot to take pictures of the circle scarf I blocked this morning - it didn't take but 4 hours to dry outside. This scarf is Pei by Michele Wang - it only takes around 225 yards of a fingering weight or sport weight yarn. Perfect for those small amounts of handspun still on my shelves. I knit this out of handspun merino/tussah from Ashland Bay in the concord colorway - it was leftover from a bigger project.

Here is it doubled around the neck.  I can see there will be more of these in my future - fast knits and a great use of smaller amounts of handspun from fun fibers I/ve spun.

New scarves in etsy shop

Finally I got photos edited, such as they are, and more scarves listed in my etsy shop.  These aren't necessarily fresh off the loom scarves, they're ones that have been waiting for cooler weather to come around either due to colorways or fibers.  Phew, cross one chore off the list........for now........

Meh

Handspun Merino/Tussah silk awaiting warping and weaving. The lighter shade is a very pale lavender, the darker shade a dusty purple. I spun these a few years ago, just now have I decided to do something with them.

 

Today I planned this warp, an 8 harness draft out of the Strickler book. Comedy of errors in the beginning - I had a crossed thread in the reed which has only happened to me a few times over 28 years so that had to be fixed.....I was beating too hard at first so I unwove, then I didn't notice that one of the tie-rods dropped out of the 3rd treadle, twice, so I unwove, twice. Finally I was getting back into the weaving groove and started thinking maybe I don't like this......but maybe I will once the 3 scarves are off the loom and washed, or at least someone will like them. I love the dusty purple color but the pale lavender looks a little flat to me, there's not as much variation as the dusty purple (I put 3 ends of that dusty purple on the selvedges, hoping it looks good once finished). Maybe I should have gone with the undulating twill draft I was originally looking at......oh well.......meh.....

Featured on a blog......

Quite often items for sale in my etsy shop are featured in treasuries but this is the first time someone has pulled an item's picture to feature it on their blog. Check out Knot Cha Cha's blog to see not only my scarf but the others items featured in her cinnamon, brown sugar and caramel theme - lovely selections.

Currently on the needles

This is what I just started knitting - the Morning Surf Scarf, I found the pattern in the Summer 2008 issue of Spin-Off magazine. I'm using some of my leftover hand-dyed handspun Falkland in the Harvest colorway. I'm really liking it, will be interesting to see it blocked when I'm done. Hopefully I have enough yarn to make a decent length scarf, I should but who knows.........

Off to the fair to spin again today, will try to get a picture of what I'm currently spinning to post.

On the needles........redux

Last night I took out the start of this scarf because I wasn't happy with the gold along the beginning edge of it - much happier now. Needles will not be clickety-clacking away at this scarf, have other things I want to work on but when I'm in the mood for knitting I'll pick it up - can't be without a knitting project. Will be a surprise to see how the coloring works out, didn't do anything but tear the roving in half and spin so not sure if there will be lots of striping or more combining of colors - it will be a surprise.

On the needles........

I started this scarf last night, I shouldn't have, I have so many other fiber projects to work on......but there's a need to have something on the needles. This is the Wakefield Scarf pattern from Knitty.com. The yarn is my handspun - roving was hand-dyed by Shelly of Butternut Woolens, merino/silk blend, in the Missouri Breaks colorway. Need to think on it a bit, might be pulling it out tonight and starting over - not sure I like that gold at the beginning edge of the scarf, might be happier if it started with the teal/blue color.

I did get a chenille scarf warp on the loom yesterday and wove the first of three scarves. I need to focus on weaving, the holiday sale season will be here before I know it, summer is flying by as it is........

More devore samples, chenille scarf............

I finished up the devore samples. I like the way the pink one turned out - it's soysilk and bamboo - the bamboo was burned out in the shape of a gingko leaf. This blend of fibers yielded a bit more definition.

The green sample above was merino and tencel. This is my second sample using tencel as the fiber to burn out and I'm as displeased with this sample as the first - the tencel looks too frayed on the burn out edges. I was playing with sett on this sample too - 36 epi, a bit too stiff. Getting the sett just perfect so it's not too sleazy in the burn out areas but not too stiff in the rest of the piece is key, the previous samples from last month with setts ranging from 24 epi to 30 epi had much nicer drape to them. The scarf off this green warp will have big areas burnt out to create the drape that's missing.

The white sample is T-105, a commercial sewing thread, cotton covered polyester. Since this is all one thread when it burns out it just gets thinner. This fiber will yield the more detailed burn out designs. All the other samples I've done I also wove a scarf on the warp (still need to burn out all those) but since I read that T-105 lacked drape I didn't weave a scarf but another length thinking I could make a window hanging with a snowflake design. Well, it turns out it has wonderful drape, wish I had woven a scarf instead, I do have more of the thread so it may happen in the future. The only downside to this thread is that it's only available in white, it can be dyed using disperse dyes though. There are a few yellowed (burnt) areas on this sample - I ironed the Fiber Etch gel a bit too much, hasn't been a problem on other fibers but was on this so I'll be extra careful on the bigger piece.

Finally, here's the chenille scarf warp that went on the loom and came off yesterday......washed last night, waiting to have fringe twisted. Next warp to go on the loom is for fingertip towels for a multi-guild towel exchange - these are due by April 30th so I have to quit procrastinating and get them done and out of the way. And next week I need to finish up on the devore so I have that presentation ready to go for April 10.

Current knitting

Here's what I start knitting during the power outage - it's a feather and fan pattern in a Naturally "Dawn" which is a 50/50 wool silk blend. Had to start it several times, was having problems with needles not being pointy enough to be able to do the k2tog. I finally resorted to some old metal double points which are very pointy although slippery. Will be slow knitting but I love the pattern and the feel of this yarn.

The knitting is sitting in my new (old) yarn bowl that a dear friend gifted me with recently. I love it and will treasure it, need to do some research to find out the history behind yarn bowls. Sam remembers one in the family, possibly at his grandmother's farm in southern Virginia. My friend suggested I may want to someday refinish it or paint it - was giving it thought but now am thinking I may leave it as is so when I look at it I can imagine the knitters before me with their current work in progress sitting in the bowl.

2nd tencel scarf

So, finally back to the loom to finish up that tencel scarf warp. Here's the 2nd scarf on the warp - I'm using the rust 8/2 tencel for the weft on this one. It's just as beautiful as the first scarf using the red weft............oh, which shall I keep???

Streaming Leaves Lace Scarf Finished

Yesterday I blocked the streaming leaves lace scarf - in spite of it being warm out it didn't dry until today. I'm fairly new at blocking - most of what I've knit over the past 10+ years have been socks or knitted felted items. It's just been the last two years that I've been knitting more. This scarf was knit from my handspun merino/silk.
After the blocking wires are in place I stretch the wet scarf to size and then place t-pins to hold the wires in that spot. The surface I use for blocking is great and inexpensive. A knitting friend discovered these kids foam floor blocks at Big Lots - there must have been a run on them after that discovery. I've had these for a couple years but have just heard that they still have them at our local Big Lots.

This is how I start the blocking process - I use blocking wires and thread them through the edge stitches of the scarf.

China Red Scarf

Here's today project. Wound the warp and wove a scarf in two shades of red Bambu 7 (bamboo). Was even watching a movie and the Foodnetwork as I was doing it which was slowing me down. I'm posting a picture but it's very hard to see the pattern on the loom and before washing - it's a shadow weave undulating twill. If you look really closely you might be able to see the undulating design being created. I must have taken a dozen pictures using different light & angles trying to capture the weave structure in print. Now off to wash it so I can twist the fringe tomorrow.

Peacock Scarf

This is a scarf I wove a few years ago - it was part of a guild challenge, I recieved a little packet with a picture, a feather and some novelty yarn snippets in it that I had to use as inspiration for a project. What came of it was this scarf. This beaded fringe took a while to do but was well worth it. I ended up writing an article for Handwoven Magazine on it and it was published in the March/April 2006 issue. This scarf was sold quite a while ago.